The Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, has sparked controversy after making a remark involving “AK-47 fire” while speaking about the party’s plan to secure 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Tenebe made the statement during a political mobilisation programme in Edo State, where he urged APC supporters to intensify their grassroots efforts ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to reports of the remarks and a video circulating online, Tenebe was discussing the party’s ambitious target when he warned individuals he described as attempting to obstruct the APC’s efforts.
He said:
“Anybody who wants to stand in our way from getting 2.5 million votes for Mr President, Bola Tinubu… AK-47 fire!”
The comment has attracted considerable attention because of its reference to a firearm in the context of political mobilisation and an approaching general election. Reports by Tribune, FIJ and P.M. News independently described the remark and its surrounding context.
How the 2.5 Million Vote Target Emerged
Tenebe’s latest statement comes amid an intensified APC campaign to mobilise support for President Tinubu in Edo ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The party has repeatedly said it intends to deliver 2.5 million votes for Tinubu from Edo State. Governor Monday Okpebholo has also publicly backed the target, while Tenebe has argued that the party’s performance in the recent Edo local government election demonstrates its mobilisation capacity.
The APC chairman has cited a figure of 2,158,600 votes reportedly secured by the party during the July 2026 local government election as evidence that the larger 2.5 million target can be achieved.
Tenebe has described the figure as a demonstration of the party’s grassroots strength and urged APC members across Edo’s 18 local government areas to work towards increasing the number during the 2027 presidential election.
However, the reported local government election figures have also generated disagreement. The Conference of Registered Political Parties in Edo challenged the figures, alleging that the reported turnout did not correspond with what its members observed at polling locations. Those allegations remain contested, with the APC continuing to cite the 2,158,600 figure as evidence of its political strength.
Tenebe's “Prayer” Raises Eyebrows
In the video, Tenebe reportedly framed his statement as a form of “prayer,” contrasting what he called “Holy Ghost power” with “general-purpose machine gun power” before making the “AK-47 fire” remark.
The comments have subsequently triggered criticism and renewed discussion about the language being used by political actors as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for March 6, 2027.
With political parties already intensifying grassroots mobilisation, statements referencing firearms and violence are likely to attract heightened public scrutiny because of concerns surrounding peaceful political participation and electoral conduct.
Tenebe's remarks therefore place the Edo APC's ambitious 2.5-million-vote target at the centre of another controversy, with the chairman's choice of language becoming almost as significant as the political objective itself.
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